The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 360 I'm watching you fight
Gan Guoyang is certainly not afraid to keep attacking in the low post; after all, he is the man who scored 54 points against the Bucks by relying on isolation plays.

During the summer, he further refined and strengthened his low-post offensive footwork at the Big Man training camp, as well as his ability to observe tactics and distribute the ball when in possession.

It can be said that at this time, Gan Guoyang's low-post skills and tactics were beginning to reach their peak, and Bobby Bellman's suggestion to let him take full control of the offense was undoubtedly a very appropriate time.

Even though he was full of confidence in himself, Gan Guoyang was still worried that his teammates would not be able to keep up with his pace. As the core of the team, he had to consider all aspects of the problem.

After training, Gan Guoyang went to see Bill Walton, who was still recovering, to talk about the team's current problems and the changes that needed to be made.

Walton's leg cast has been removed, and he spends most of his time resting and sunbathing in that big cabin, enjoying the rare Portland sunshine with his wife and children.

When Walton learned that the Trail Blazers were going to change their tactical system and adopt an offensive approach based on isolation plays, he was quite surprised, saying, "Dr. Jack used to hate isolation plays the most. I remember the first time we talked about tactics, it must have been in 1976, on the steps of my house, we sat and talked a lot about tactical ideas. He was very similar to Coach Wooden, emphasizing teamwork, teamwork, and details. He was a treasure trove of tactics, and I was impressed by him after that conversation. I can't believe he's changed so much in such a short time."

Gan Guoyang said, "It's not short, it's been 10 years already."

"I'm not talking about from then until now, but the season has just begun, and we've only lost a few games."

"The Lakers put a lot of pressure on us. To be honest, if you weren't there, it would be very troublesome for us to face the Lakers in the playoffs."

Gan Guoyang watched the tapes of the Lakers' recent games and realized that the Lakers had transformed from a team with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson as their two core players inside and outside into a team completely driven by Magic Johnson and driven by the perimeter.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's scoring dropped sharply from an average of 23 points per game in 1986 to around 17 points, with both his shot attempts and tactical importance declining dramatically.

This means that in the Lakers, Magic Johnson has completely replaced Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the team's primary core player, while Abdul-Jabbar has become the second or even third option, with a lower offensive priority than Worthy, and sometimes even less so than Byron Scott.

So the Lakers became faster, their backcourt firepower became stronger, Magic Johnson's individual offensive power was greatly enhanced, and his outside shooting ability has made significant progress compared to before.

"The Lakers are definitely a problem. If we stick to our traditional frontcourt passing and cutting style, we won't be a match for them. I've watched their game film, and they're not just fast; their offense is now very three-dimensional and balanced. Scott and Cooper's three-point threats are huge, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a force to be reckoned with, but he's not the focal point, which is the most troublesome thing. Magic Johnson can now handle a lot of isolation plays; his shooting has become excellent, and you can't defend him one-on-one, while double-teaming him is suicidal. We definitely need significant changes to counter the Lakers."

Although Walton is recovering from injury at home, he has never stopped paying attention to the league teams, especially championship contenders like the Lakers and Celtics.

The Lakers have been incredibly strong since the start of the season this year, not only in terms of their winning streak, but also in the fact that they've brought a completely new approach to the game.

If the Trail Blazers are just aiming to finish the season, using their old system and tactics, with the individual abilities of players like Gan Guoyang and Drexler, getting 55 to 60 wins shouldn't be a problem.

However, if they continue playing like this, it will be very difficult for them to defend their title; they must get past the Lakers.

Gan Guoyang had dinner at Walton's house, and afterwards the two sat in the yard under the glittering stars and talked a lot about basketball.

Walton shared everything he knew: how to observe the defense and teammates in the low post, how to pass the ball to teammates in a timely manner, and how to make choices between passing and attacking.

Wharton, who used to stutter, can now speak fluently in front of Gan Guoyang, sharing his valuable experience of more than ten years with Gan Guoyang.

In terms of skills, Wharton didn't have much to teach Gan Guoyang, whose skills were beyond question.

Walton is best known for his control of the game, as well as his wisdom and experience in distributing the ball.

This is what the Trail Blazers have been lacking since the start of the new season: a seasoned playmaker. "When you have a lot of possessions, you have to learn how to distribute them. You're the one cutting the cake; learn how to cut the cake, and you'll become a better player."

Gan Guoyang kept Wharton's words firmly in mind, but putting them into perfect practice was clearly not an easy task.

Thinking about the new challenges that were about to come, Gan Guoyang began to cheer up. Many years later, when Gan Guoyang recalled the 1986-1987 season, he said, "I reasonably guess that Dr. Jack accepted this tactical system that was inconsistent with his basketball philosophy in order to motivate me and lead everyone to victory."

Of course, Jack Ramsey and a group of former Trail Blazers players scoffed at this claim, thinking that the guy was just flattering himself.
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On November 21, the Trail Blazers began the third week of the new season, hosting the Houston Rockets, their Western Conference Finals opponent from last season.

After a narrow defeat in the Western Conference Finals, the Rockets spent the offseason preparing for a comeback, determined to overthrow the Trail Blazers and Lakers' dominance in the new season.

In the 86 NBA draft, they selected forward Buck Johnson and center Dave Filth, further strengthening their frontcourt roster.

In the free agent market, they signed 6-foot-10 power forward Richard Anderson to bolster their frontcourt interior.

Clearly, the Rockets' target is the Trail Blazers; they intend to use their interior players to counter the Trail Blazers' big men lineup.

Hakeem Olajuwon trained intensely during the offseason, practicing with Gan Guoyang at the Big Man training camp before returning to Houston to continue training after the camp ended.

He gained weight to improve his physical strength and further refined his shooting skills, hoping to match Gan Guoyang's output in crucial moments.

However, after the start of the new season, the Rockets quickly encountered a major problem: Ralph Sampson was injured and had a problem with his knee.

In the third week of the competition, Sampson has only played one game. He is on the roster for tonight's game, but he will not start.

Sampson's injury dates back to a game against the Boston Celtics last season, where he injured his back, which then led to a series of other injuries.

After playing in the Western Conference Finals, he developed fluid buildup in his knee, and despite a series of treatments, his condition did not improve.

Therefore, Sampson was not in the starting lineup for the Rockets' game against the Trail Blazers tonight, and Olajuwon was left to face Gan Guoyang alone.

Before the game even started, Gan Guoyang told Olajuwon, "Tonight our team will be implementing a new style of play, and I hope you're ready."

Hakeem Olajuwon and Gan Guoyang had a strange relationship that was both rivalry and friendship. They got along well off the field, but on the field, Olajuwon hated Gan Guoyang but couldn't do anything about it.

Gan Guoyang greatly admires Hakeem Olajuwon, regarding him as a respectable opponent in the paint.

"What playing style?" Hakeem Olajuwon asked.

"I'm watching you closely."

Hakeem Olajuwon couldn't believe his ears, but he quickly calmed down.

He thought to himself, "This is another one of Forrest Gump's psychological tactics. Don't fall for it, don't fall for it."

(End of this chapter)